The present invention relates as indicated to a fishing fly, and relates more particularly to a fly having distinctly improved properties of floatability, simulation of insects, ease of assembly, and wide versatility.
The invention is principally directed to the creation of a dry fly which those in the art will understand to mean a fly specifically designed to float on the surface of the water. Desirably, the dry fly should have the requisite characteristics for its intended purpose, namely, it should float on the water surface, simulate as closely as possible the insect which it is intended to represent, and be relatively inexpensive to assembly or manufacture. A further, highly desirable characteristic, is the adaptability of the basic fly construction to size, configuration and other characteristics so as to permit the concept to be utilized for a wide variety of insects.
Due to the ingeniousness of fisherman, it is not surprising that there is a great variety of artificial fishing lures in the prior art. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,148 to M. Allen, for example, two threads of contrasting color are wrapped around the shank of the fishing hook, with the colors being selected to correspond to the colors of the back and breast of the real insect. Although insect simulation is achieved, the application of the colored threads to the shank of the hook is a very laborious process.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,449,853 to W. Shearer, a very flexible and limp yarn is encased within and bonded to a plastic body made of very soft plastic so as to present a soft feel or taste to the striking fish. The body portion is generally tubular and can be adhered to the inner yarn in any suitable manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,755 to J. C. Pearce also discloses an artificial lure which resembles a small fish or eel and comprises an elongated plastic body provided with a cavity in which is sealed an elongated, flexible member which can be manufactured from yarn or thread. The material is saturated with a fish-enticing compound, and when the hook is inserted through the lure, the internal cavity is penetrated thereby releasing the fish-enticing compound.
There is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,263 to R. L. Franklin et al. a fishing lure in which a wire is positioned within a length of surgical tubing. The tubing may be formed with contrasting colors on its outer and inner surface, with the entire assembly being intended to simulate an eel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,029 to J. R. Pobst discloses a fishing fly in which flexible hairs or strands are tightly and densely wrapped by thread to form a body portion around the shank of the hook, with the body portion being configured relative to the rest of the lure that the weight of the lure causes the body to slightly indent the water surface.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,510 to N. B. Kimerer, Jr., there is disclosed a simulated nymph in which a center section comprised of spaced shank wires have wrapped therearound fly threads to produce a horizontal flat-bodied appearance, simulating the live nymph. The layers of wrapped thread are sufficient in number to achieve the intended simulation.
To summarize the prior art, it is well known to wrap fly thread around the shank of the hook or other wire construction to provide a simulated insect body. It is also known to insert a flexible wire through a tubular plastic material extending longitudinally around the wire, for the purpose of drawing the lure through the water in an irregular pattern. In all uses of plastic tubing known to applicant, such tubing extends longitudinally of the lure.